Death of 4-month-old girl ruled homicide

The death of a 4-month-old girl injured while in the care of a relative in South Chicago Heights has been ruled a homicide, authorities said.

The autopsy found Sophia Ortiz, four months, died of multiple injuries from child abuse, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Her death was ruled a homicide.

No charges have been filed early Wednesday afternoon but police are working with the Cook County State’s attorney's office, according to South Chicago Heights police Chief Bill Joyce. Someone is in custody and investigators are talking to other potential witnesses, he said.

The relative was taking care of the baby at his home in the 100 block of West 31st Street in South Chicago Heights when he called 911 around 3 a.m. Monday, according to Joyce.

“We got a call of an unresponsive child,’’ Joyce said. “The child was not breathing and they were not able to feel a heart rate.’’

An ambulance took her first to St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights where they were able to get a heartbeat, but the child was still unresponsive and unable to breathe on her own, said Joyce.

Sophia was airlifted to Hope, where she was on life support until she died.

Child welfare officials are looking into the death.

“DCFS is investigating an allegation of death by abuse," said Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

DCFS has had no prior contact or prior investigations involving the relative, and no other children were in his care, Marlowe said.

Sophia lived in the 0-to 100 block of West 31st Street in south suburban Steger, according to the medical examiner’s office.